Asked about the cover during a Fox & Friends interview later in the day, Trump said the tabloid was attacking him only to boost its sinking circulation.

"Well, the New York Post gave me a front-page cover that I wish you held that one up instead of the failing Daily News," Trump said, referring to the Post's cover that put "Trump" in gold, all-caps letters above the White House. "The Daily News is going to be out of business very soon. It's doing no business whatsoever. And they do that for circulation."

Trump also blasted two conservative pundits who have been critical of him. After Fox played a clip in which Charles Krauthammer said Trump's 2016 candidacy "diminishes the stature" of his more serious Republican opponents, Trump tore into both Krauthammer and a second commentator, George Will.

The star of NBC's "The Apprentice" touted his success and said the two pundits were "losers" and jerks in comparison.

"They're loser," Trump said. "They're just losers. They sit there; they haven't done anything. Think about it: I've built a $9 billion net worth. I've employed tens of thousands of people. I do a television show; it becomes one of the biggest shows on all of television. NBC renewed it again; they're begging for me to do it. I write a book called 'The Art of the Deal'; it's the No. 1-selling business book of all time. And I've got a jerk named Krauthammer or George Will saying, 'Oh gee, he doesn't deserve to be in the race,'" he said.